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L e s s o n 40Medieval Connections to the Land of Israel

Outline:1. Rabbi Judah Halevi2. The Kabbalists3. The Baal Shem Tov and Rabbi Nachman of Breslav

Introduction:Jews in the middle ages lived a balancing act, juggling loyalty to the Jewish faith andsurvival both personal and as autonomous communities within the Christian orMoslem world. It was a time of strong communal institutions and philosophicaldebate as Jews tried to comprehend and articulate (primarily to themselves) theircontinued exile and persecution as well as the basic tenets of their faith which set itapart from the surrounding religions that saw it at best as ”primitive” or forsaken byG-D if not downright corrupt and evil. Always at the mercy of Christian or Moslemrulers who intermittently sought forcibly to convert them, Jews suffereddiscrimination, persecution, and exile after exile. Despite these hardships in Diaspora,or perhaps because of them, there was no mass movement to “return” to the land ofIsrael. That land too was under foreign rule (alternatively Moslem/Christian/Moslem asthe Crusaders came and went) and there too Jews suffered. Although there was acontinued, tiny and impoverished Jewish presence in the land of Israel, for themajority of Jews the land of Israel was always present in the liturgy (piyutim, kinot) as acornerstone of faith but not as a physical alternative. The Holy Land acquired analmost mythical nature in Jewish consciousness as an unattainable paradise. Even thenumerous false messiahs that surfaced in different countries throughout the middleages remained localized phenomena never succeeding in enflaming the masses toactually consider moving to Israel (until Shabbetai Zevi). Paradoxically though,throughout the era there was a continuous flow of individuals including scholars andleaders making the difficult journey at least to die if not to live in the Holy Land. .

This lesson will study some of those individuals, their stories and their writings,examining their varied motivations to “go up” to Israel. Are these individual responsesto each one’s specific circumstances or a reflection of the ongoing relationshipbetween the Jew and the land of Israel? How do their responses compare to thefeelings of Diaspora Jews who “make aliyah” today?

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Goals:1. Familiarity with medieval models of connection to Israel2. Exploration of the spiritual significance of the land in Jewish belief and practice3. Comparison and discussion of the different personalities and their motivations,

to our own conceptions of the significance of Israel.

Expanded Outline:

Suggested Methodology:

Divide the class into 3 groups. Each group reads the biographies and writings of one ofthe following personalities or groups as presented in the subsections. Each groupmust try to answer the question, what motivated their personality to move to Israel?What was their personality’s perception of the Jews’ tie to the land? Each group cansummarize in a class discussion comparing the motivations of the medievalpersonalities with those of Jews today to journey to or settle in Israel.

1. Judah Halevi

Biography:

Judah Ha-Levi (lived ca. 1080-1141) was one of the greatest Spanish Jewish poets andphilosophers. He was born in Toledo, Spain while it was still under Islamic rule butlived most of his life in Cordova, a center of Jewish life at the time. His primaryoccupation throughout his life was as a physician to the king of Spain but he was aprolific writer of both Arabic and Hebrew poetry. His writings are very diverse andcover such topics as love, friendship, religious devotion, hope, wisdom, and sorrow. Hewas known as the "Sweet Singer of Zion” since many of his poems were paeans to theLand of Israel and mourning the loss of the Land to the Jews. (See source 2 forexamples of his “Zionistic” poems)

In Halevi's day, Jews were caught in the incessant wars between Christians andMuslims for control of the Iberian Peninsula. He himself felt constrained to remain inSpain most of his life, however, because of family attachments. Although personally heoccupied an honored position as a physician, he felt the intolerance of the Almoravidfanatics toward his coreligionists. He had long yearned for a new, or rather for the old,home—for the Holy Land. In 1141 on the death of his wife, he bade farewell todaughter, grandson, pupils, friends, rank, and affluence and set off to the land of Israel(aliya or a pilgrimage?).

After a stormy passage he arrived in Alexandria, where he was enthusiastically greetedby friends and admirers. At Damietta he had to struggle against the promptings of hisown heart and the pleadings of his friend Halfon ha-Levi that he remain in Egypt. He,

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however, resisted the temptation to remain there, and started on the tedious landroute. There are records of his arrival in Tyre and Damascus. Here authentic recordsend; but Jewish legend has it that he made it to the holy land and as he came nearJerusalem, overpowered by the sight of the Holy City, he sang his most beautifulelegy, the celebrated "Zionide," "Zion ha-lo tish'ali." At that instant he was riddendown and killed by an Arab, who dashed forth from a gate

The Kuzari:Judah Halevi was fascinated by the stories circulating about the conversion of theKhazars, a tribe in the Caucasus region, in the 8th centaury. Since, however, no hardevidence existed as to just how Khazaria became Jewish, Halevi was free to exercise hiscreativity. The product of his imagining was The Kuzari: A Book of Proof and Argument, An Apologyfor a Despised Religion, written in Arabic, which became (and remains) one of the mostpopular and best-known works of medieval Jewish philosophy. In it, Halevi imaginedthat the king had a dream indicating that his pious commitment to his pagan religion,while well-intended, was misguided. Therefore, he summoned a philosopher, aChristian scholar, and a Moslem scholar to present their systems of belief. Each wasrejected after one brief interchange, and the king felt he had no choice but to turn to aJew. It didn’t take long for the king to be convinced of the truth of Judaism, and heconverted in short order.

The Kuzari consists primarily of the king’s ongoing conversation with the rabbifollowing his conversion, as he challenges his teacher, seeking a deeperunderstanding of Jewish beliefs. This creative format is unique in our literature.

If the Rambam (Maimonides) is always seen as the prime representative of the attemptto harmonize Judaism with rationalism, Halevi is seen as a leading proponent of therejection of this attempt. For him, miracles, revelation, and chosen-ness don’t need tobe “explained away” by seeking the rational, scientific phenomena that underlie them;instead, our collective memory of these experiences is proof enough of their reality.No apologies needed.

Halevi emphasizes throughout the book the specialness of the Jewish people as thepeople chosen to receive God’s revelation – and the specialness of the land of Israel,the land specifically promised to our people by God.

(see Source 1 for excerpts from the Kuzari dealing with living in the land of Israel)

Questions for discussion: Does the rabbi offer an explanation/justification for stayingin exile? Does the decision of the rabbi (and of Halevi himself) to personally travel tothe land of Israel indicate or symbolize a “general” obligation or need for Jews to doso? Notice the King reverses his stand when his friend actually decides to leave, why?Is this a familiar reaction?

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2. The Kabbalists of Safed

One of the results of the Spanish Expulsion in 1492 was an increase in the number ofJews who chose to emigrate to the Holy land. For example in 1488 there were 70Jewish families in Jerusalem. By 1495 it increased to 200 and by 1521 to 500 (from AHistory of the Jewish People, Margolis and Marx p. 518). The major center to emergefrom this influx of Jews was the city of Safed in the Galilee. In 1492 Joseph Sargossicame to Safed and found but a handful of Jews and a rabbi who kept a small shop toearn a living. A hundred years later there were 18 yeshivas in the city and 21synagogues. Especially drawn to Safed were scholars who specialized in mysticallearning (Kabbalah). This branch of scholarship had been prominent in Spain (TheZohar was compiled and written down first in Spain by Moshe de Leon in the 13th

centaury). Apparently, one reason for Safed’s attraction of kabbalists was its proximityto Meron, where Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai’s grave is located; R. Shimon was believedto be the author of the Zohar. In the 16th century Safed became the spiritual andeconomic enter of the Jewish community in Eretz Yisrael and its influence was feltthroughout the Jewish world. Among its leading personalities were poets, kabbalistsand halachists including Rabbi Joseph Karo who fled Spain as a child and was a majorhalachic authority as well as the author of the Shulchan Aruch, Moses Cordovero,author of Pardes Rimonim which organized mystic thought, Rabbi Yitzchak Luria, ‘theLion’ and his student R. Haim Vital who popularized kabbalah, Rabbi Shlomo Alkabetzwho authored Lecha Dodi – the prayer said Friday night to welcome the Sabbath.(seesource 3)

Rabbi Joseph Karo: Born in 1488; fled Spain with his parents at the age of four toConstantinople. Was a recognized scholar at a young age, authored the Kesef Mishna,a commentary on the Rambam’s Mishna Torah, the Beit Yosef and the Shulchan Aruchall of which are halachic codes. In 1530 Karo moved to Safed, where he was appointedas a member of the rabbinic court of Rabbi Yaakov Beirav. He established a yeshiva,counting among his students the great Rabbi Moshe Alshech and the illustriouskabbalist Rabbi Moshe Cordovero

Upon the death of Rabbi Yaakov Beirav, he succeeded him as chief of the rabbiniccourt in Safed, which served as the main bet din (court) for worldwide Jewry. The cityof Safed was the only city in the country that had a printing press. The first printing ofthe Shulchan Aruch was in the year 1565, and it has been reprinted many hundreds oftimes since then, each one with additional comments by later scholars printed in themargins. Karo’s fame quickly spread far and wide and thousands of people fromaround the world would write to him, seeking his opinion on Jewish law. Karo wasalso a mystic. Legend has it that he was taught by a “Maggid” an angelic teacher-mentor/power who gave him daily instruction and encouraged him to move to theHoly Land.(see source 4) He died at the age of 87 in 1565 and is buried in Safed.

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Isaac Luria – the Lion (the Holy Ari or the Arizal): Luria was born in Jerusalem in1534 to a German father and a Sefardic mother; his father died when he was a youngchild, and his mother moved to be near her family in Egypt, where Luria grew up, andstudied Jewish law and rabbinic literature. Luria's teachers considered himoutstanding in non-mystical study. In addition to study, Luria earned a living throughcommerce. In his twenties, he concentrated his studies on the Zohar and the works ofearlier kabbalists. He was also particularly interested in his contemporary, kabbalistMoses Cordovero. It was at this time that Luria wrote his commentary on the Sifra Di-Zenivta section of the Zohar. Luria believed that deceased teachers of the past spoketo him and that he had frequent interviews with Elijah the prophet.

In one of these "interviews," Luria believed that Elijah instructed him to move to theland of Israel, so, in 1569, he moved to Safed where he studied kabbalah withCordovero until Cordovero's death in 1570.

Luria originally won fame as a mystical poet. He later started teaching kabbalah in ayeshiva, and would occasionally speak in Ashkenazi synagogues. He was friendly withother Safed scholars, and formed a group of kabbalists who met each Friday to confesstheir sins to each other. He revealed to his disciples the locations of graves of rabbisthat he claimed to have discovered through spiritual revelations. He taught hisstudents orally, teaching both theoretical kabbalah and methods to communicatewith the souls of tzaddikim (righteous people). He was conservative in interpretingJewish law and believed that each commandment had a mystical meaning. Herespected all strains of tradition and customs in Judaism and although he was ofAshkenazic descent, preferred Sephardic prayer liturgy. Lurianic kabbalahh refersoften to messianism and many say that his messianic ideas paved the way for the falsemessiah, Shabbetai Zevi.

Luria died in an epidemic in the summer of 1572 and was buried in Safed. Histeachings were recorded by his disciples, particularly Rabbi Chaim Vital.

Questions for Discussion: Safed became a Jewish center after the expulsion fromSpain. Why? Was it in hope of finding a “home” from which the exiles could not bebanished? Was it the relative openness of the Ottoman empire that allowed them todevelop a community there both economically and religiously? Was it a desire forholiness? Were the mystics drawn to the Holy Land or did the Holy Land make mysticsof men? Why?

It is interesting to note that the mystic thought that emanated from Safed does notaddress per se the question of the holiness of the land or the need/obligation to settleit. (As opposed to writings of the twentieth century in which the role of the State ofIsrael – and the Land of Israel - in religious thought is much discussed). Rather, itseems the mystics were drawn to it due to the belief that in the Holy Land one couldbetter succeed in holy study. The kabbalah developed in Safed emphasized the cosmicshattering that allowed a flawed world to be created. The great historian of kabbalah,

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Gershom Scholem, sees a clear connection in the upheaval of the times and theLurianic school of thought. He argues that this study gave hope and meaning to theJews after the destruction of Spanish Jewry that was as disastrous as the destruction ofthe Temple. The kabbalistic belief in the correspondence of the human and the divineled to the daring doctrine that the disaster of exile and expulsion was not just part ofJewish history but part of the biography of G-d. In order to create the world, G-d hadhad to exile part of Himself from Himself; and this creative withdrawal (tzimtzum) orexile was what was being reenacted on earth by Israel. This gave a positive function tothe exile that both comforted and stimulated hope; and new attention was given tothe stages of tikkun - restoring or fixing the world.

Questions for Discussion: In the legends of both Rabbi Karo and Rabbi Luria it is asupernatural element that urges them to go to Israel? Why? What does this mean?

3. Hasidism

The development of Hasidism in Europe in the 17th century can be seen as one of thedirect results of Lurianic thought and the growing influence of mystical thought inJudaism. However as opposed to the kabbalists’ center in the land of Israel, the newmovement was firmly rooted in the Diaspora. It taught that even the simplest Jew canachieve closeness to G-D . Hasidism emphasized the desire and hope for the messiahand the obligation of each Jew to hasten his coming, yet all its great centers wereentrenched in Eastern Europe. It is interesting therefore to note the ambivalentrelationship of some Hasidic leaders to the question of going to Israel, as seen in someof their tales and writings.

Baal Shem Tov: Founder of Hasidism. He was born approximately 1700 in Okop, asmall village in the Ukraine on the Polish-Russian border. When he was thirty-six yearsold in the year 1734, Rabbi Yisrael “revealed himself” to the world. He settled in Talustand rapidly gained a reputation as a holy man. He became known as the Baal Shem Tov– Master of the Good Name. (The title Baal Shem (Master of the Name) was used forholy men who were known as miracle workers since they used the power of the Nameof God to work miracles.) Later he moved to Medzeboz in Western Ukraine, where helived for the rest of his life.

Rabbi Israel's fame spread rapidly. Many important scholars became his disciples. Itwas during this period that the movement, which would eventually be known asChassidut (piety), began. The Baal Shem Tov's teachings were largely based upon thekabbalistic teachings of the Rabbi Yitzchak Luria, but his approach made the benefitsof these teachings accessible even to the simplest Jew. He emphasized the profoundimportance and significance of prayer, love of God, and love of one's fellow Jews. Hetaught that even if one was not blessed with the ability or opportunity to be a Torahscholar, one could still reach great spiritual heights through these channels.

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The Baal Shem Tov felt a powerful love for the land of Israel and his entire life hewanted to immigrate there. Many times he attempted to do so, once even reachingConstantinople, but always something prevented him from fulfilling his dream. (seesource 5). Despite his personal inability to move to the land of Israel, the Baal ShemTov succeeded in inspiring many of his disciples and followers to do so. In mid-1700s astudent of the Baal Shem Tov by the name of Gershon Kitover started the first Hassidiccommunity in Israel. This community was part of what came to be called, with theadvent of modern Zionist settlement, the “ Old Yishuv.” (the old settlement). The OldYishuv saw its purpose as the study of Torah on behalf of the Jews in the Diaspora,who were expected to support this scholarship by donations.

Questions for Discussion: How does the tale (source 5) describe the Baal Shem Tov’srelationship to Israel? What does it say about personal affinity for the land as opposedto collective affinity? How do you understand the paradox of on one hand sendingstudents but on the other hand not going himself? What was the purpose of sendinghis students? What kind of existence did they have there?

Rabbi Nachman of Bratslav: Rabbi Nachman was the great grandson of Rabbi Israel,the Baal Shem Tov. He was born in 1772 in the Ukrainian town of Medzeboz. Hebecame an outstanding Tzaddik: i.e., Torah sage, mystic, teacher, Hassidic master andstoryteller. During his lifetime he attracted a devoted following of Hassidim wholooked to him as their prime source of spiritual guidance in the quest for G-d. Forthem he was `the Rebbe.' After being ill with tuberculosis for several years, RabbiNachman passed away in 1810 at the age of thirty-eight. He had moved to theUkrainian town of Uman a few months earlier, and there he was buried. His gravesite isvisited by many Jews until today.

When Rabbi Nachman passed away his followers saw no one on the same outstandinglevel to take his place. Instead of appointing a new Rebbe, they continued to turn toRabbi Nachman's teachings for inspiration and guidance and still looked on him as`the Rebbe.' The Bratslaver Hassidim have done so ever since, studying his writingsand endeavoring to follow his teachings in their day-to-day lives. In this sense RabbiNachman is still the leader of the Bratslaver Hassidim.

Rabbi Nachman’s Journey to Israel:

Many of Rabbi Nachman’s sayings praise the Land of Israel and its holiness and expressa yearning to be there (see source 6). And indeed Rabbi Nachman did make a strangetrip to the land of Israel, in 1799.

On Passover, Rabbi Nachman announced to his followers, "This year I shall certainly bein the holy Land." To his wife’s objections and pleading of poverty, he only replied: "Aslong as my soul is within me, as long as I breathe, I shall totally dedicate myself totravel to the Land of Israel."– How would she and her daughters survive? – "You be a

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cook in someone else’s home, and let the girls be servants. But whatever is in thehouse, I must sell to pay for expenses on the way."

The journey was hard and long. Nachman purposely chose the sea route via Odessa,usually avoided as dangerous. In Istanbul, he encountered problem after problem,from personal degradation to plague, all of which his faithful traveling companion,Rabbi Nathan, recorded.

His amazing persistence can be understood only in the light of his later writings,wherein the Hassidic master records his vision of Israel. For Rabbi Nachman, Israel wasthe reward granted only those who observe the commandments. It was the source ofall blessing, the quintessence of divine pleasantness. For him, the bread of Israelencompassed the sweetness of all the foods in the entire world. To achieve victory, tosee the downfall of evil, or even to make progress as a human being, the Jew had to goto the Land of Israel. It was for that reason, he explained, that the pronouncing ofGod’s true name, the essence of His identity, had been restricted to the holy Temple,while it stood.

The puzzle of Rabbi Nachman is not why he traveled to Israel, but why he returned. Hechose to be a pilgrim, not an immigrant. The minute he arrived in Israel, Nachman waswilling to turn back, applying literally the rabbinic dictum, "Whosoever walks fourcubits (six feet) in the Land of Israel, is assured a place in the world-to-come." "I havewalked my four cubits," said the rabbi – “let us return." Although he was persuaded tostay and tour the Land, he did return to Europe, there to spend the rest of his days .(see source 7)

Questions for Discussion: What did Israel represent to Rabbi Nachman? What wasn’tthe land intended to be? Why do you think he wanted to leave without even seeingthe holy sites? Can you reconcile his behavior with his teachings?

Conclusion:

Several common conclusions can be made from the personalities above that may besaid to characterize Jews’ tie to the Land of Israel during the middle ages.

1. All of them acted out of deep personal , religious feelings towards the Land ofIsrael. The concept of autonomy, rule, or statehood were not relevant to theirworld view. Such matters were for the messiah.

2. Nonetheless, despite the physical difficulties and distance, Israel remainedprominent in Jewish awareness. Its mythical presence was so real as to allow forthe reality of going there. Once there even the grim reality did not lessen theemotional attachment the Jew felt for the land.

3. The Jewish presence in Israel was maintained and from the 16th century beganto grow, although it was still characterized by religious sentiments and notnationalistic goals.

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Discussion: Are these spiritual elements present in contemporary American Jews’desire to visit/connect with Israel? Does the issue of statehood complicate or simplfythings?

Sources

1. The Kuzari Book IIAt one point The Rabbi goes on at some length about the holiness of Eretz Yisrael,quoting a number of different passages from the rabbinic literature; then…

15. The Kuzari: …Continue thy discourse about the advantages of Eretz Yisrael.

16. The Rabbi: The land was appointed for the instruction of mankind andapportioned to the tribes of Israel from the time of the confusion of tongues, as it issaid: 'When the Most High divided among the nations their inheritance, when Heseparated the sons of Man, He set up the frontiers of the nations according to thenumber of the sons of Israel' (Deut. 32:8). Abraham, also, was not fit to be associatedwith the Divine power and to enter into a covenant with Him - the covenant 'of thepieces of sacrifice' (Gen. 15) - until he had reached that land. And what is now thyopinion of a 'picked community' which has merited the appellation 'people of God', ina land, called 'the inheritance of God' (I Sam. 26:19; Ps. 79:1)….,

17. The Kuzari: In such a way we may expect the glory of God to be manifest.

20. The Rabbi: Thus the knowledge of the 'sabbath of the Lord' and the 'festivals ofthe Lord' (Lev. 23:2 and 38) depends upon the country which is called 'the inheritanceof the Lord', and, as thou didst read, 'His holy mountain', 'His footstool', ‘gate ofHeaven’ (Gen. 28:7); it is now also said 'for the Torah goes out from Zion' (Micah 4:2).How greatly did the Patriarchs strive to live in the country, whilst it was in the hands ofpagans, how they yearned for it and ordered their bones to be carried thither as, forexample, Jacob and Joseph (Gen. 47:30; 50:25). Moses prayed to see it; he consideredit a misfortune when this was denied him, and as an act of grace, when the land wasshown to him from the summit of Pisgah. Persians, Indians, Greeks, and other nationsbegged to have sacrifices offered and prayers to be said for them in that Holy House,and they spent their wealth on it, though they believed in other religions, since thetrue religion did not admit them. Today, also, the country is honoured, although theShekhinah no longer appears in it; all nations make pilgrimages to it, long for it -excepting we ourselves, being oppressed and homeless.

23. The Kuzari: If this be so, thou fallest short of thy religious duty, by notendeavouring to reach that place, and making it thy abode in life and death althoughthou sayest: 'Have mercy on Zion, for it is the house of our life', and thou believest thatthe Shekhinah will return thither. And had it no other distinction than that the

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Shekhinah dwelt there nine hundred years, this would be sufficient reason for the soulsto trust in it and to purify themselves there, as it has been done near the abodes of thepious and the prophets; moreover, it is the gate of Heaven; all nations agree on thispoint: Christians believe that the souls are gathered there and then lifted up toheaven; Islam teaches that it is the place of Mohammed's Ascension and that prophetsare made to ascend from there to heaven, and further, that it is the place of gatheringon the day of Resurrection. Everybody turns to it in prayer and visits it in pilgrimage.Thus, thy bowing and kneeling in the direction of it is either hypocrisy or thoughtlesspractice. Yet thy earliest forefathers chose it as an abode in preference to theirbirthplaces, and lived there as strangers rather than as citizens in their own country.

24. The Rabbi: That is a justified reproach, O King of the Khazars! It was that sin whichkept the Divine promise with regard to the second Temple from being fulfilled: 'Singand rejoice, O daughter of Zion; for I come to dwell in the midst of thee' (Zechariah2:14). For the Divine power was ready to prevail in Zion as it had in the first place, ifthey had all willingly consented to return. But only a part of the people were preparedto do so; the majority and the men of rank remained in Babylon, preferringdependence and slavery, because they were unwilling to leave their houses and theireasy circumstances. The power of the promises was weakened in accordance withtheir weakness. For the Divine power inspires human power only in such measure asthe latter is prepared to receive it: if the readiness is little, little will be obtained, andmuch will be obtained, if it be great. Were we prepared to meet the God of ourforefathers with a pure mind, we should find the same salvation as our fathers did inEgypt. But when we only say: 'Bow to His holy hill, bow to His footstool' (Ps. 99:5, 9), 'Hewho restoreth His glory to Zion', and similar words, this is but as the chattering of thestarling and the nightingale. We do not realize what we are saying through these andother words, as thou observest, O Prince of the Khazars.

Kuzari: Book V22. After this the Rabbi resolved to leave the land of the Khazars and to betake himselfto Jerusalem. The King regretted the parting, and he began a conversation with him.'What can be sought in Palestine nowadays, since the Shekhinah is absent from it?Through pure intention and strong desire we may approach to God in every place!Why dost thou expose thyself to the dangers of land and sea and to risks incurred bycontact with other people?’

23. The Rabbi: To be sure, the visible Shekhinah has disappeared, revealing itselfonly to a prophet or to a community pleasant to God in the distinguished place; welook for that, as it is said 'they shall see, eye to eye, the Lord returning to Zion' (Isa.52:8) and as we say in our prayer, 'Let our eyes behold when Thou returnest to Zion,Thy residence'. But the invisible and spiritual Shekhinah is with every born Israelite ofpure life, pure heart and sincere devotion to the Lord of Israel. And Palestine has aspecial relation to the Lord of Israel. Pure life can be perfect only there; many of theIsraelite laws lose their force for him who does not live in Palestine. Sincere devotion

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and purity of life reach perfection only in a place which is believed to have a specialrelation to God, even though this belief be founded on an imaginary or comparativeconception; how much more so if it is right, as we have shown! Then the yearning isbound to be strengthened, and the desire for God must be sincere, especially in himwho travels to the Land from a great distance; still more in one who wishes to atonefor past transgressions!... Even if he incurs greater risks on account of his ardent desireof God and in order to obtain forgiveness, he is free from reproach for the sake of thedangers; it is as if he had closed the account of his life, expressed his gratitude for hispast life and his contentment with it, and devoted to his Lord the rest of his days.Running into danger, he praises God if he escapes; and should he perish through hissins, he forbears and acquiesces in his fate, being confident that he has obtainedatonement for most of his sins through his death….24. The Kuzari: I thought that thou didst love freedom; but now I see thoustrengthenest thy bondage by imposing duties which are obligatory only if thouresidest in Palestine and bidest not here.

25. The Rabbi: I seek freedom-from the service of those numerous people only whosefavour I shall never obtain even if I work for it all my life and which would not profitme, even if l could obtain it: I mean the service of men and the courting of their favour.But I seek the service of One whose favour is obtained with the smallest effort andprofits in this world and the next: this is the favour of God; His service is freedom, andhumility before Him is true honour.

26. The Kuzari: If thou meanest all thou sayest, God certainly knows thy piousintention; and intention is sufficient before God, who knows the intentions anddiscloses what is hidden.

27. The Rabbi: This is true - only when action is impossible. But man is able toendeavour and also to work! He deserves blame when he does not apply for visiblereward through visible action...... Prayerful thoughts also are to be pronounced in themost imploring and submissive manner. Only when intention and action are broughtto perfection are they rewarded…. Actions without intention and intentions withoutaction are vain, except in that which is impossible; in such cases it is useful to bring tothe fore the good intention and to exculpate before God the omission of action, as wedo saying 'on account of our sins have we been driven out of our land' and in similarprayers. If we provoke and instill love of this sacred place among men, we may be sureof obtaining reward and of hastening the (Messianic) aim; for it is written: 'Thou shaltarise and have mercy upon Zion; for it is time to favour her, the moment is come. ForThy servants love her stones and pity her dust' (Ps. 102:14-15). This means: Jerusalemcan only be rebuilt when Israel yearns for it to such an extent that we sympathize evenwith its stones and its dust.

28. The Kuzari: If this be so, it would be a sin to hinder thee; it is, on the contrary, amerit to assist thee. May God help thee: may He be thy protector and friend, andfavour thee in His mercy! Peace be with thee!

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2. A Longing to Return to the Land of Israel A poem by Judah ha-Levi

My heart is in the east, and I in the uttermost west.How can I find savor in food? How shall it be sweet to me?How shall I render my vows and my bonds, while yetZion lieth beneath the fetter of Edom, and I in Arab chains?A light thing would it seem to meto leave all the good things of Spain -Seeing how precious in mine eyesto behold the dust of the desolate sanctuary.

Translated by Nina Salaman, reproduced in Essential Texts of Zionism (Jewish Publication Society ofAmerica, 1924).

From “Zion, Won’t You Ask?”Yehuda Halevi(Translated by Dennis Silk)

Zion,won't you ask if your prisoners have peaceThat want your peace? They're the last of your flock.

Peace from the Yemen, and the sea, from the far-offAnd close-at-hand, from west and north and peace

From desire's prisoner, he gives his tears like dewOf Hermon, he wants them to fall on your hills.

Jackal-like I howl for you, but when I dreamOf your prisoners' return, I am your songs' harp.

On the Sea

A poem by Judah ha-Levitranslated by Nina Salaman

(Excerpts from a poem thought to be written on his sea journey to Egypt on his way to theland of Israel.)

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My God, break not the breakers of the sea,Nor command to the deep, "Become dry".Until I thank Your mercies, and I thankThe waves of the sea and the wind of the west;Let them propel me to the place of the yoke of Your love,And bear far from me the Arab yoke.And how shall my desires not find fulfillment,Seeing as I trust in You, and You are pledged to me?

……and I have no care for worldly goods,Nor for treasures nor for any perishables -Even so far that I can leave behind [in Spain] her that went forth of my loins,Sister of my soul - and she my only daughter -And I can forget her son, though it pierces my heart,And I have nothing left but his memory for a symbol -Fruit of my loins, child of my delight -Ah! How should Yehudah forget [my grandson] Yehudah?But this is a light thing compared to Your love,Since I may enter Your gates with thanksgiving,And sojourn there, and count my heartA burnt offering bound upon Your altar;And may make my grave in Your land,So that it be there a witness for me….

For more see: www.angelfire.com/ct/halevi/

3. Lechah Dodi by Shlomo Alkabetz

Come, my beloved, with chorus of praise;Welcome Shabbat the bride, Queen of our days.

"Keep" and "remember," both uttered as oneBy our Creator, beyond comparison.The Lord is One and His name is One,Reflected in glory, in fame, and in praise.

Come, let us all greet Shabbat, Queen sublime,Fountain of blessings in every clime.Anointed and regal since earliest time,In thought she preceded Creation's six days.

Holy city, majestic, banish your fears.Arise, emerge from your desolate years.Too long have you dwelled in the valley of tears.

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He will restore you with mercy and grace.

Arise and shake off the dust of the earth.Wear glorious garments reflecting your worth.Messiah will lead us all soon to rebirth.Let my soul now sense redemption's warm rays.

Awake and arise to greet the new lightFor in your radiance the world will be bright.Sing out, for darkness is hidden from sight.The Lord through you His glory displays

In your redemption you will never be shamed;Be not downcast, you will not be defamed.Sheltered by you will my poor be reclaimed.The city renewed on its ruins will He raise,

Then your destroyers will themselves be destroyed;Ravagers, at great distance, will live in a void.Your God then will celebrate you, overjoyed,As a groom with his bride when his eyes meet her gaze.

Break out of your confines, to the left and the right.Revere the Lord in whom we delight.The Messiah is coming to gladden our sight,Bringing joy and rejoicing in fullness of days.

Come in peace, soul mate, sweet gift of the Lord,Greeted with joy and in song so adoredAmidst God's people, in faith in accord.Come, Bride Shabbat; come, crown of the days.

4. Joseph Karoa. described in Shivchei Ha’ari:…every time he recited the Mishnah by heart, the Maggid appeared to him andpeople would hear his voice through the door or at the back of the house saying:'Peace upon thee, Rabbi Joseph Karo. I am the Mishnah which thou hast studied. Icame forth to teach thee understanding. The Holy One, blessed be His Name, praisesthee greatly in the celestial academy, saying, "my son Joseph, such and such are hisdeeds, such and such are his ways, such his diligence in his studies. Blessed is he andblessed she who bore him and blessed those who sit in his company." I the Mishnahhave seen the place that is prepared for thee in Paradise. How great are the joys anddelights awaiting thee there! Be strong and courageous in the fear of the Lord. And

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now I have come to reveal the following kabbalistic mystery....' And all the revelationsof the Maggid he collected in a book entitled The Book of the Maggid…

b. from the “Book of the Maggid” (See R.J. Zwi Werblowsky, Joseph Karo, Lawyer andMystic, JPS 1977):

…and I shall favour you to go up to Palestine this year to be united there with theTorah and to rejoice with the brethren… and whatever shall be doubtful to you [inyour studies], four-winged angels shall teach it to you.

I shall privilege thee to go up to Palestine, to be united with the brethren… to raisemany disciples and make many repent. Thereafter I shall favour you to be burned forthe sanctification of my Name.

(Note: Karo did go to live in Palestine. He was not burnt at the stake).

5. A Tale about why the Baal Shem Tov turned back in Constantinople (as retold byRabbi Chaim Sabbato):

The Baal Shem Tov yearned to go to the Land of Israel. He took his daughter and rabbiTzvi Sofer and sailed to Constantinople. They arrived at that great city on the eve ofPassover and no one recognized them. On the first intermediate day they hiredpassage to the land of Israel. A storm broke on the sea and their boat tossed in thewaves for days. On the third day the boat landed on an island. On the island the BaalShem Tov, his daughter and Rabbi Tzvi met a group of pirates who captured them andtied them up. The bandits started to sharpen their knives. Rabbi Tzvi pleaded with theBaal Shem Tov: “Do something. Use your powers and save us.” The Baal Shem Tovanswered: “My powers are gone. I remember nothing but you must remembersomething of what I taught you - do something.” But Rabbi Tzvi answered; “I tooremember nothing except for the Aleph Bet.” “What are you waiting for?” yelled theBaal Shem Tov, “Start saying them!” Together they recited the Aleph Bet again andagain until the Baal Shem Tov regained his powers and saved them. The Baal ShemTov then understood that Heaven was preventing him form entering the land of Israel,so he returned home.

6. Prayer of Rabbi Nachman:From the end of earth I call to You . . . have mercy and compassion upon me, and aidme and grant me the merit to depart and arrive quickly in the holy land which is thesource of our sanctity. For You know, O Lord our God, that all our holiness and purity,and all our Jewishness are contingent upon the Land of Israel. . . . Lord of the Universe,have mercy upon us in Your great compassion and arouse in our hearts, in the heartsof our children and in the hearts of all Your people Israel desires, longings and greatyearnings for the Land of Israel.

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Rabbi Nachman of Bratslav used to say, "Wherever I walk, my steps turn toward EretzYisrael

From the writing of rabbi Nachman: Rabbi Nachman of Bratslav said that when he wasin Eretz Yisrael, many of the more prominent people with whom he spoke, amongthose that had come to make their home there, told him that prior to coming to EretzYisrael they could not have pictured to themselves that it was an actual place in thisworld. And that they were convinced that Eretz Yisrael existed in another worldcompletely, because of the degree of holiness that attached to it according to theexplanations in books and the descriptions in the Torah… and because of this theycould not imagine that it was really of this world, until they came there and saw thatEretz Yisrael really is part of this world. Because physically, Eretz Yisrael is like all othercountries, and the dust of the land is like the dust of all other countries. There is nodifference. Nevertheless it is extremely holy - its holiness is absolute and very awe-inspiring.

7. Rabbi Nachman’s disciples record his reasons for going to Israel (in TormentedMaster, A Life of Rabbi Nahman of Bratslav, by Arthur Green, Schocken 1981)

1. I heard in his name that he said before his journey to Eretz Yisrael that he wanted togo in order to attain supernal wisdom. There exist higher and lower forms ofhochmah; the lower he had already acquired, but he was yet to attain the higher. Forthis he had to go to the Land of Israel.

2. It was heard from his holy mouth during the Passover season that preceded hisjourney from Medvedevka to the Land of Israel that he wanted to go to Eretz Yisrael inorder there to fulfill all of the six hundred and thirteen commandments, includingthose which are dependent upon the land together with those which may be fulfilledoutside it, fulfilling them all spiritually so that afterward he would be able to fulfillthem all physically.

3. He then told R. Yudil that he wanted to go to the Land of Israel. R. Yudil offered himhis blessing and said to him: 'Our master! Surely you want to perform some great thingthere. May it be God's will to help you do that which you intend.' Our master noddedin response to his blessing and afterwards said: 'I could fulfill that which I seek anddesire to do in Eretz Yisrael right here by means of prayer and supplication alone. ThenI would not have to travel to Eretz Yisrael. The difference is that if I merit to be in ErezIsrael I will receive my understanding in "garments," whereasif I stay here I will receive it without the "garments." This is also the differencebetween the holiness of the Sabbath and that of the festival. He opened theprayerbook of the ARI of blessed memory for R. Yudil and showed him in thekawwanot that this was the difference between Sabbath and festival: that on Sabbaththe light is clothed in garments, while on festivals it does not have this garb, as isknown.

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4. He said that he was very happy to have merited to be in Eretz Yisrael. For on the wayto Eretz Yisrael he had undergone many obstacles, confusing thoughts, delays, andstruggles, including financial obstacles. But he had overcome them all and hadbrought the matter to completion by reaching Eretz Yisrael. He.further said this: Ibelieve, and indeed I know well, that of all the movements, thoughts and deeds thatone undertakes in order to perform some holy act, not a single one is ever lost. Forafter all the obstacles have been broken through and the act has been completed, allthose confusing thoughts and movements which had taken place while one was stillweighing the act . . . are elevated to the highest state of holiness. Everything isrecorded above for good, including every move one had to make along the way.Blessed are those who manage to overcome all the obstacles and to complete somegood deed.